Portable and/or foldable tables have existed to provide users with an easily foldable/unfoldable table structure that provides table surfaces for a wide variety of uses and purposes and convenience to the users. These tables may be typically used at places or locations where conventional tables cannot be used. Such tables are used for working, reading/writing, eating, or any other purposes. Common uses of such tables are for placing and supporting laptop or portable computers, books, plates, bowls, or any other such items.
For example, laptop or portable computers are used by various persons. Laptop computer users often prefer to use their portable computers while sitting in a comfortable chair/couch or while sitting up or lying in a bed. These locations, however, typically require a table or desk on which the computer is placed, or the user must position the computer on his or her lap. Supporting a portable computer on the user's lap is awkward or uncomfortable and causes heat, sweat, muscle fatigue, etc. to the user. Therefore, portable computer users generally prefer to use some type of portable table, stand, support device, or other flat, rigid surface upon which the computer is placed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,719,614; 2,449,492; 2,476,620; 3,805,710; 4,119,289; 4,726,556; 5,417,168; disclose examples of such portable and/or adjustable tables or support structures. These prior art patents are incorporated by reference herein. However, there are various problems and disadvantages with these prior art portable tables or support structures. Some of these prior art tables and support structures are uncomfortable and bulky to use, cumbersome to set up, or not easily or variably adjustable to accommodate all users of various heights and sizes.
Some of the prior art tables and support structures required attachment or coupling to another surface or structure in order to be used. Portable tables and support structures that are collapsible and folding and self-supporting and self-standing have been developed and exist in the prior art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,476,620; 3,805,710; 4,726,556; 5,417,168 disclose examples of such self-supporting or self-standing, collapsible tables and support structures. However, one problem with these self-supporting, collapsible prior art tables is that the legs or leg components are not able to be easily folded together since one leg or leg component would get in the way of rotation or folding of the other leg or leg component when the legs or leg components were being placed into a storage position. The folded legs were therefore bulky, or one of the legs needed to be removed in order to fold or place the legs in a compact position. Therefore, the need and desire exists to develop and provide a leg assembly for a table or support structure wherein the leg components stay coupled to the leg assembly and wherein the leg components are able to be put into a folding position and rotate or fold easily out of the way of each other when being folded to a compact storage position and are able to rotate back to an unfolding position for use.
Also, some of the prior art tables or support structures have foldable or collapsible legs or leg assemblies that may not be very stable or balanced when in use. Therefore, collapsible truss structures or collapsible triangular shaped leg components have been developed and used for various tables and support structures. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,164,353 and 4,726,556 provide examples of such legs or leg assemblies. U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,353 is further incorporated by reference herein. However, one problem with these legs or leg assemblies is that the stability, balance, and center of gravity position of the table or support structure may become less stable as the table or support surface is raised or lowered to a various position. Therefore, the need and desire exists to develop and provide a leg assembly for a table or support structure wherein the legs or leg components and the center of gravity position of the leg assembly remain generally stable and balanced whether the table or support structure surface is raised or lower.
Furthermore, prior art tables or support structures that allow for height adjustment exist in order to accommodate the user. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,449,492; 2,476,620; 3,805,710; 4,119,289; 4,726,556; 5,417,168 provide examples of such height adjustable tables or support structures. However, some of the prior art height adjustment mechanisms for these tables or support structures are cumbersome, awkward, or difficult to use. U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,168 discloses a height adjustment mechanism that uses an engaging protuberance to one of a number of height adjustment holes in order to adjust the height of each leg component. However, this height adjustment mechanism has the problem of aligning the engaging protuberance to a certain/desired height adjustment hole. Therefore, the need and desire exists to develop and provide a height adjustment mechanism for a table or support structure that is easily accessible and easy to use to adjust height of the table and able to easily align and engage the engaging protuberance into a certain/desired height adjustment hole.
A further limitation of the prior art tables or support structures is that they do not explicitly teach or disclose legs or leg components that are independently adjustable to conform the plane of the table or support structure surface to even and uneven surfaces (i.e. bed or mattress surface or any other such even/uneven surfaces). Another limitation of the prior art tables or support structures is that they do not adjust to the size and height of the user in that the width distance apart from the legs or leg components are not adjustable when the height of the table or support structure surface is lowered or raised. Also, a mechanism for adjusting the angle or pitch of the table or support structure surface is in continual need of improvement and development.
Therefore, the present invention discloses and provides a portable and adjustable table or support structure with an improved leg assembly that overcomes the above problems, disadvantages, and limitations of the prior art.